


The Last Night

by FollowYourDreams



Category: Phandom/The Fantastic Foursome (YouTube RPF)
Genre: Alternate Universe, Alternate Universe - College/University, Alternate Universe - High School, Angst, Angst and Humor, DAN AND PHIL - Freeform, Dan Howell - Freeform, Established Relationship, First Time, Fluff, Fluff and Angst, Fluff and Smut, M/M, Pastel Dan, Pastel Dan and Punk Phil, Phan - Freeform, Phandom - Freeform, Phil Lester - Freeform, Punk Phil, Punk/Pastel, Smut, Summer Love
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2016-08-06
Updated: 2016-09-02
Packaged: 2018-07-29 15:45:53
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 5
Words: 13,936
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/7690372
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/FollowYourDreams/pseuds/FollowYourDreams
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Phil Lester is supposed to travel away to attend Oxford in the autumn, so he decides to have one last fun summer. Daniel Howell has had his attention for a while, and he finally takes his chances. One date leads to a summer of love, which causes the vacation time to fly by. Soon enough, Dan and Phil are staring the end of summer in the eye. They agreed their relationship would end right along with their last months of freedom, but now they don't want to keep that promise anymore. But, what can you do? Life goes on..</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> *rises from the ashes* I LIIIIIIIIIIVE~~  
> Hey guys! I'm back with a new fic!  
> This fic is a WIP, and I plan to update weekly to bi-weekly. It just depends on my work schedule. However, I promise I will do everything I can to keep up with updating. :)  
> I hope you guys enjoy this new fic! It is based on the song (The Night Before) Life Goes On, by Carrie Underwood if you're interested in listening to it.  
> Enjoy!  
> Disclaimer: This is not me claiming phan is real, this is me being no lifer shipper trash.

The Last Night

 

  
Chapter 1:

Cool air nipped at Philip Lester’s skin, giving him light chills that were only warmed by the cigarette in his mouth. He took the cigarette into his fingers, giving himself a moment to breathe freely. Absentmindedly, he licked the inside of his mouth, playing with the metal that was his snake bite piercings. For a moment, he wished he could go back in time. He wished he could change things, but it was too late. It was far too late. No matter what happened now, nothing could change the fact that he left in the morning.

Daniel Howell sat beside Phil on the roof, holding his knees close to his chest. His light blue jeans stung his skin from the cold air. He cursed himself for wearing his favorite pink sweater, an article of clothing not quite warm enough for the weather, but he felt the need to have something that he loved with him. After all, the other thing he loved was leaving in the morning.

Phil glanced to his right. He noticed Dan lightly shivering, though the younger boy was definitely trying to hide it. Silently, he scooted up so that he was above Dan. He then draped his black, leather jacket over Dan’s shoulders and wrapped his arms around the boy. Before he could speak a word, he could feel Dan begin to tremble. He felt a tear hit his arm, and his heart broke.

“Come on, baby, let’s just get out of here,” said Phil. He tightened his grip on Dan, trying to be reassuring.

Dan maneuvered slowly to look up at Phil. “Where are we going?”

“Anywhere but here,” whispered Phil. He leaned down and pressed his lips to Dan’s. It was a gesture he’d done a million times, but something about that moment made the kiss hurt. It was a sad kiss and he knew it. He didn’t want to imagine their last kiss. He didn’t want there to _be_ a last kiss.

Dan and Phil carefully climbed down the roof. Once they were on the ground, they made their way to Phil’s car. Phil opened the passenger door for Dan and closed it after Dan had climbed inside. He got in the car on his own side and did his best not to slam the door in anger. Without warning, the anger he felt began to boil down into sadness. He tried to stay mad, banging his fist harshly against the wheel, startling Dan.

“Life isn’t fair!” he said. His fist shook violently, and before he knew it tears were rolling down his cheeks despite his strongest protest. “Why? Why do I have to go? I’ll pay them back the deposit! I don’t care what it takes! I want to stay!”

Dan reached over and gingerly placed his hand on Phil’s. “Hey,” he paused, thinking. “You have to go. This is an amazing opportunity. You can’t just pass it up because of me.”

“You don’t understand.” Phil took Dan’s hand into his own and squeezed. “You’re so much more fucking important than a stupid school.”

“Last I checked, Oxford wasn’t exactly a ‘stupid’ school. You can do so much. You can have more than I could ever give you.”

Phil shook his head. “No, don’t you say that. You’re everything to me. I’d rather rot away in this godforsaken town as long as it was with you. I hate this.”

Dan leaned his head Phil’s shoulder, soaking up the warmth. That was one of the things he liked about Phil. Phil was always warm. Dan lifted his head so that his chin rested on Phil’s shoulder. “Let’s go for a drive.” He gently kissed Phil’s cheek. “One more drive around town.”

“Alright.”

Phil started the engine and then backed out of the driveway. He drove down the familiar streets, not letting go of Dan’s hand. Despite having driven down the roads time and time again, they were already beginning to look different to both of them. By tomorrow morning, they would be different forever.

Phil took a deep breath, letting his body relax a little. As the houses and trees in the neighborhood passed by, he began to think back. He never could have imagined it. To think that it was just a few months ago, a few mere months, and he had unknowingly made a decision that would forever change his life.

~3 Months Earlier~

“Philip Lester,” said the school principle.

The audience cheered loudly, especially Phil’s fellow students. Phil got up from his seat and walked across the stage, collecting his diploma and shaking hands with all the representatives on stage. It seemed so surreal. The past of four years of his life had lead up to that moment, and it was over in an instant. Part of him was a little upset about that, but the rest of him was happier than he thought he could be. He’d graduated head boy, and he was set to travel to attend Oxford in the autumn.

As the rest of the students had their moments on stage, Phil sat in his chair and thought about various things to himself. He’d been such a good student that he really hadn’t had much fun the past four years. He wondered to himself if it was time to start taking a few risks. When that thought crossed his mind, he couldn’t help but think of a boy that he’d been seeing in the halls for two years now. With brown hair, brown eyes, and light, pastel clothing, Daniel Howell was definitely very cute, and Phil had never had the initiative to speak to him.

The ceremony came to an end. Everywhere, students ran to their friends and family, sharing hugs and tears of joy. Phil made his way to his parents and brother, graciously accepting all of the congratulations and embraces. His family began idly chatting about where they should go to celebrate. He shifted his attention away, letting his eyes wander. In the sea of caps and gowns, he spotted Dan not too far away from him. He felt his breath catch. Maybe it was a sign.

“I’ll be right back,” he said to his mother. He quickly slipped away before she could protest.

Dan was with his family and a few friends, all of them standing in a large circle smiling widely. Phil approached Dan, and as he did so he felt his heart leap into his throat. What was he doing? However, before he could stop himself, he tapped Dan on the shoulder. Dan turned around immediately, and Phil could have sworn he saw Dan’s cheeks flush in an instant.

“Hey, can I talk to you?” asked Phil loud enough to be heard only by Dan.

Dan nodded his head and snuck away from his family before they could stop him. “Hey, Phil, right?” asked Dan pretending he didn’t know. Everyone knew Phil. He was head boy, though he didn’t dress like it, which was for some reason something he was known for. It just seemed funny in a way. He was so smart and a good student, but he looked like the kind of guy that skipped class and smoked out behind the school dumpster.

Phil smiled and nodded in agreement. “That’s me. And you’re Dan, right?” Phil felt the need to act as if he didn’t know despite that it was rather obvious he did know.

“Yeah, that’s me. What did you want? I mean what did you want to say? I don’t mean it like,” he stuttered. “You’re not bothering me. I just,” he laughed lightly trying to disguise his nervousness. “I don’t know what I’m saying. You talk.”

In that moment, Phil knew he wasn’t going to regret his decision. Dan already seemed so sweet.

“Um,” began Phil, “would like to go on a date?”

Dan’s eyes widened and his mouth fell slightly agape. “What? I mean, really?”

“Yeah,” said Phil. “I noticed you a long time ago, but, you know, school. So now that that’s out of the way, what do you say?”

“Yeah,” said Dan. “That um, that would be great. When?”

Phil reached into his pocket and took out his cell phone. He handed it to Dan. “Obviously not tonight, as I assume you’re busy with family, but put in your number and I’ll text you.”

Dan took the phone from Phil, trying desperately to control his shaking hand. He entered his name and number, and then he handed the phone back over.

“Thanks,” said Phil. “I’ll text you.”

“Okay, that sounds good,” said Dan. A sheepish smile spread across his face.

“Enjoy your night,” said Phil. He smiled back and walked away.

Phil walked back to his family, but his heart was still racing. Had he actually just done that? He couldn’t help but feel a bit bashful. He knew this night was supposed to be about him, but he had a sneaking suspicion that a different boy would be on his mind for the rest of the night.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I hope you guys enjoyed that little opening chapter! Please leave a comment letting me know :D Thank you so much for reading. As usual, you can find mini updates on my Twitter and more phan related stuff on my Tumblr. Thanks again guys! Bye~
> 
> Twitter: https://twitter.com/followurdream97  
> Tumblr: http://phangirl-landphil.tumblr.com


	2. Chapter 2

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Woo hoo weekly updates to start! Hahahaha don't get used to it. I'm getting more shifts at work and I wanna die. XD But for now, I hope you guys enjoy this chapter ^^

The Last Night

 

  
Chapter 2:

It was the morning after graduation. Well, it was the _afternoon_ after graduation. Phil had been out to dinner with his family, and then of course disappeared to attend a small party with his friends. Needless to say, he’d been out late and had slept in until close to 1:00 p.m. He eventually woke up and crawled out of bed despite wanting to stay there for the remainder of the day.

“Good afternoon, sleepy head,” said Mrs. Lester as she looked up from her book.

Phil groaned as he plopped down on the couch next to her. “Any chance I can stay in bed for the next…day?”

She laughed and closed her book. “Um, no. Actually, I have something I need you to do for me.”

“Muuum,” he huffed.

“Oh, don’t start. You didn’t have to stay out until the sun came up. I just need to you to run down to the bakery downtown and pick up a few things.” She handed him a slip of paper listing everything she wanted.

Phil rolled his eyes and snatched the paper. He sauntered back upstairs to get changed so he could leave. After dressing himself in black skinny jeans and a dark blue and black plaid shirt, he snagged the car keys and headed out.

The drive to the bakery was short; it was just right downtown. The shop was part of an outdoor strip mall, sandwiched between a hair salon and a flower shop. Phil stepped of the car, took out the list, and walked into the bakery. He was instantly hit with a very strong scent. The building had no distinct scent of a particular dessert, it just smelled _sweet_. For the first moment, it was overwhelming, but then it calmed down to something much more comforting. It was like the scent was beckoning Phil to buy whatever was causing the smell.

Phil approached the counter, but there was no one there. He noticed a little bell, obviously there to get the employees attention, but he felt bad ringing it. Surely if they weren’t at the counter they were busy. Instead, he wandered, looking at everything that was on display behind glass.

“I’ll be right with you,” said a voice that Phil could have sworn he’d heard before.

Phil looked up, but the person was hidden behind the counter, seemingly doing something. Then, they stood up and looked at him. Dan?

“Dan?” asked Phil surprised.

Dan flushed completely red and absentmindedly tugged on his apron, which was coated in flour and frosting. “Hey, sorry, I was decorating stuff in the back.” He suddenly became aware of just how messy he really was. For a moment, he was fairly certain there was something on his face, but he prayed not.

“Um,” Phil giggled and brought his index finger to his cheek, “you’ve got a little,” he trailed off.

“Uh!” Dan’s cheeks burned worse as he wiped away the substance on his face. More fucking flour. He swore the stuff worked wonders, but was also made by satan himself. “Sorry, um, what can I do for you?”

Phil suddenly remembered he’d come to the bakery with a purpose. It was just so hard to focus. Dan was even cuter when he wasn’t in a graduation gown. He was wearing a light pink sweater and pale blue jeans underneath his apron.

“I just have a list from my mum,” said Phil. “I really haven’t even looked at it yet.”

Dan gestured to take the list, so Phil handed it over. He skimmed the items and handed the paper back. “Got it. Just give me a few minutes to box everything. It seems like she’s getting stuff for a party, a graduation party I assume.”

Phil felt a little dumb. That made complete sense. “So, I didn’t know you worked here.” He watched as Dan grabbed everything from cookies and cupcakes to bizarre pastries he couldn’t name. It was intriguing watching Dan arrange everything in the boxes with perfect precision.

“It’s a family business,” said Dan. He closed up two boxes, stacked them, and moved them out of his way within mere seconds. “My parents own the place. It’s not much, but it’s a job.”

“It’s a really nice place.” Phil took a moment to actually look around the shop. The counter had glass cases on both sides of it, displaying various treats. There was a small area to his left where there were two tables and multiple chairs, allowing people to sit and enjoy a sweet if they wished. The colors of the walls were light, blending down onto the light brown wooden floor wonderfully.

Dan smiled shyly, looking up at Phil and actually keeping eye contact without getting completely flustered. “Thank you. I grew up here. I guess it explains my, uh,” he paused, not sure what word he was looking for.

“Aesthetic?”

“Yeah,” agreed Dan. “It is my aesthetic,” he said confidently before laughing. “I don’t know; I’ve just always liked it.”

“I understand.” Phil gestured to his piercings. “I mean look at me. I love piercings and tattoos.” He rolled up his sleeve a little to allow his arm tattoos to peak out.

“I think your style is better.” He grinned sheepishly and looked away, going back to his task. “I’d dress the way you do if I could, but I don’t think I could pull it off.”

Phil waved him off. “Eh, anyone can pull it off. You just have to be confident that you can pull it off. That’s really all there is to it.”

“Yeah, confidence,” Dan chuckled to himself, “I don’t have that, in case you didn’t notice.” He giggled awkwardly.

“You should,” said Phil quickly but smoothly.

Dan cursed his pale complexion. He was surely a _mess_ in that moment.

“So, I was going to text you, but since you’re here, what do you think about going out tomorrow night?” asked Phil.

Dan felt his heart jump up into his throat. He wasn’t sure he’d be able to handle being asked out over text, but there Phil was in person, asking him. Looking up, he felt himself getting overwhelmed with Phil’s presence. Phil’s snake bites were silver, adding to his already sharp features. His shirt clung to him perfectly, and his tattoos peaked out at just about every opening. Dan knew his breath was caught, but he needed to say something, anything.

“Yeah,” he breathed out. “That would be great.”

Phil smiled at him. “Alright, cool. I’ll pick you up.”

“Okay, thank you. I actually live in this building. I’m upstairs. So, um, just text me when you’re here and I’ll come down.”

“Sounds great.” Phil took out his wallet and paid for the sweets his mother had requested. “Thanks for everything, and I’ll see you tomorrow.” He grabbed the boxes and exited the shop, leaving an extremely flustered Dan to compose himself.

***

Dan was pacing his room. He had worked out the details with Phil, and he was getting picked up in less than an hour. He’d already showered and made sure he wasn’t needed at work, but he still needed to figure out what to wear. Yes, he was as bad as some girls, and he knew it. It wasn’t exactly his fault that the head boy of his high school had asked him out on a date and now he was freaking out.

Eventually, Dan settled on wearing pale blue jeans that had premade holes at the thighs, and a light purple, plain shirt. He played with his flower crown in his hands, debating if he should wear it. Surely, Phil knew how he dressed. “Gender roles are the worst kind of bread” is what Dan always told himself and his friends. He enjoyed having a more feminine look, and he was certain Phil knew that. He put on his flower crown and took a deep breath. Everything was going to be okay. This was going to be fun.

A while later, Dan’s phone sounded. He looked to see that it was a text from Phil letting him know that Phil had arrived. His heart raced. Oh god. No going back now. He texted back saying that he was on his way, and then he pocketed his phone. After giving himself one last overview in the mirror, he headed downstairs and left the bakery. Phil stood just outside by what he assumed was Phil’s car. Phil was wearing a nice, black button up shirt that had the sleeves rolled up to his elbow, black skinny jeans, and a dark grey beanie. His arm tattoos were now visible, showing gorgeous patterns mixed of lights and darks that had Dan in a daze. Dan honestly wasn’t even certain what Phil’s tattoos were, but they were beautiful.

“Hey,” greeted Phil. His swung his keys around on his index finger as his eyes transfixed on Dan. “Ready to go?”

“Yeah,” said Dan with a small smile. He approached the car, but before he could reach for the handle, Phil opened his door for him. “Thank you.” His cheeks warmed. Great. Now Phil was considerate too? Lord have mercy.

Phil climbed into his seat and started the engine. The radio buzzed to life, playing tunes from a local station.

“I have an aux chord if you’d like to plug in your phone for music,” said Phil. He began driving to their destination, hoping Dan would like where he was planning on taking them.

“Oh,” Dan fumbled in his pockets looking for his phone. “Sure, the radio gets pretty repetitive doesn’t it?”

Phil chucked and sighed. “Yeah, you can say that again. If I hear “Work from Home” one more time I swear. Swear on me mum!” He laughed to himself.

“Wait,” a smile crept onto Dan’s lips, “was that a Markiplier reference?”

“Yes!”

“I love him,” said Dan as he plugged in his phone. “Watching him play Five Night’s makes me feel better about how much I suck. He’s the king now, but he wasn’t always at least.”

“I think you have to be inhuman to not be scared by that game. I played it at my friend PJ’s house once and I about jumped out the window just to escape Chica.”

Dan laughed, covering his mouth slightly with his hand. He always got a little embarrassed when his smile got too big. “I understand.” He pulled up the Pretty Odd album from Panic! at the Disco. “Do you like Panic?”

“Yeah,” Phil nodded his head. “But, I’ll admit, I’ve only heard their newest album. If you have their older stuff, I’d love to hear it.”

“Okay, I’ll put Pretty Odd on shuffle.” Dan clicked the shuffle button and set his phone down.

When the music started quiet, Phil reached over to turn the volume up a little bit. The music began to kick in, playing out a soft beat which slowly picked up the pace and became catchier as the lyrics came in.

 _When the moon fell in love with the sun_  
All was golden in the sky  
All was golden when they day met the night  
When the sun found the moon  
She was drinking tea in a garden  
Under the green umbrella trees  
In the middle of summer

 _When the moon found the sun_  
He looked like he was barely hanging on  
But her eyes saved his life  
In the middle of summer

 _In the middle of summer!_  
All was golden in the sky!  
All was golden when the day met the night!  
Summer!  
All was golden in the sky!  
All was golden when the day met the night!  
Summer! Summer! Summer!  
Golden when the day met the night…

Dan wanted to hide under the seat. Of all the songs that could have played from the album, it had to be the song about opposites falling in love in summer? Could that be any more embarrassing? However, when he looked up, Phil seemed to be really enjoying the song. Phil was tapping fingers to the beat on the steering wheel along with lightly bobbing his head. Dan relaxed. He was the only one reading into it. It wasn’t a big deal. It was just a song. All he had to do was enjoy the music.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I hope you guys liked that chapter! Be sure to let me know ^^ This early on in the fic, feedback affects me even more, so it means a lot! As always, you guys can follow me on Twitter for sneak peeks and follow my Tumblr for more phan. Thanks again! Bye~
> 
> Twitter: https://twitter.com/followurdream97
> 
> Tumblr: http://phangirl-landphil.tumblr.com/


	3. Chapter 3

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Eyyyy I'm on a roll! I also have work today and I wanna cry. XD  
> But I hope you guys enjoy this chapter! ^.^

The Last Night

 

  
Chapter 3:

When Phil parked the car outside the restaurant, Dan couldn’t help but smile. Phil had brought them to a 50’s themed diner that had everything from twisty-letter light up signs to waitresses dressed in poodle skirts. It was an overwhelmingly cute place downtown that everyone knew was a great first date, code word being “first”. It was pretty much rule of thumb that if you didn’t care, you took your date to the cinema in uptown or something like that, but if you wanted there to be a second date you went to the Route 66 diner.

“I hope it’s not too forward,” said Phil. “I mainly just didn’t want to have another wasted date in the cinema.”

Dan turned to look at Phil and smiled. “I’m glad. I love it here. This will be nice.”

Phil grinned back. He undid his seat belt and got out of the car. Once Dan was by his side, they walked into the diner together and seated themselves at a booth. Soft music buzzed around along with the idle chatter of nearby people. The atmosphere of the diner was pleasant, brought by checkered tile, upbeat tunes murmuring through speakers that were mounted on the walls, and a jukebox that was sadly always out of order.

A pretty, chipper waitress approached their table with a smile. “Hi, welcome!” she beamed. “Can I get you something to drink?” She jotted down their drink orders and placed her notepad in her skirt’s pouch. “Awesome, I’ll be right back with those.” She whipped around, making her blue poodle skirt swish.

“Okay, I have a confession,” said Phil.

Dan looked up from his menu curiously.

“I’ve only ever had their milkshakes here. I’ve never had actual food.” He chuckled.

“Don’t feel bad, me neither,” said Dan with a small giggle. “I think almost everyone comes here just for the milkshakes.”

“I mean, they’re real, so that’s a step up from all the other places in town.” Phil flipped his menu over and skimmed the choices. “But, personally, the bacon cheeseburger sounds amazing to me. So, I think I’ve made my decision.”

Dan turned his menu over as well. “Hmm. I’m an indecisive piece of shit, so sorry about that.” He laughed. “I suck.” He looked up at Phil. “I’m also painfully self-deprecating.” Making a wide smile, he sunk his head in and looked away.

Phil couldn’t help but laugh. “You’re cute.” He smiled watching Dan’s face instantly change. “And you don’t suck. We all have flaws.”

Before Dan could reply, their waitress made another appearance bringing their drinks.

“Have you guys decided or do we need some more time?” she asked.

Dan quickly looked down at the menu and brought his gaze back up. “I’m ready if you are,” he said to Phil.

Phil seemed to come out of a trance and made an incoherent sound of confusion. He fumbled with the menu and ordered as quickly as he could. Dan followed, and the waitress jotted down their order. She collected their menus and hurried away.

“So,” began Phil, “what are your summer plans? Anything fun coming up?”

Dan shook his head. “Nah, just work. No holidays, no grand adventures or anything. I hope to hang out with my friends, but that’s about it. What about you?”

“The only real traveling I’ll be doing is going to Oxford to check it out more. I already had orientation, but it’s just a trip to get to know classmates and have fun.” Phil played with the straw in his drink, diverting his attention away momentarily. “Honestly, I’m a little bummed out that my last real summer is probably going to play out to be so boring.”

“I understand.” Dan took off his flower crown and started twirling it in his hands. “There’s this unspoken pressure to make this summer your best one, but what no one realizes is that very few people have the time and money to do that. Those of us who don’t get to live out regular boring days until the inevitable torment that is adult life comes before us.” He looked up to see a slightly shocked expression on Phil’s face. “Sorry,” he sank in his seat, “that was probably too real.”

Phil shook his head as he studied Dan. “No, it’s okay. I don’t mind.”

Dan looked up surprised.

“People waste too much time trying to be ‘normal’ and not really speak their minds.” His expression was unknowingly adoring towards Dan. “I think it’s really great that you’re not afraid to say what you think.”

Sheepishly, Dan smiled and averted his eyes, trying to find something else to look at so that he could control his facial expressions. No one had ever praised him for speaking his mind. He was usually scorned and told that he was being a downer.

Phil picked up his milkshake and held it out towards Dan. “Here’s to making this summer the best we can with the time and money we have.”

Dan picked up his drink and tapped it to Phil’s. “Cheers.”

They both sipped their drinks. It was quiet for a moment. They looked at each other, seemingly studying one another, both of them surprised at what they had already discovered. Phil had expected Dan to be a little different, but what he’d found hadn’t disappointed him in the slightest. He felt lucky that he was spending time with someone so down to earth. A small grin spread on his lips. He was glad he’d taken a shot.

Soon enough, the conversation evolved and went on for what seemed like only minutes, but was actually over two hours. The two of them talked about a little bit of everything, music, video games, television shows, hobbies, and more. Their conversation flowed so easily; they couldn’t have been happier to find how compatible they were. It was always a good feeling to realize you could talk so well with someone.

“Oh, god,” said Phil with a slight laugh.

Dan looked at him curiously, “What?”

“Look at your phone.”

Looking at his phone, Dan’s mouth fell agape. “How is it half past 3:00?”

“I have no idea, but I think we’re officially loitering. I already paid the check at least.”

“Yeah,” Dan sighed. He honestly didn’t want the date to be over. Part of him was considering asking if Phil wanted to go do something else, but he was afraid of being too pushy. He fiddled with his sleeves, pulling at them and running scenarios through his head. “D-Do you want to do something else?” he blurted out.

“Hm? Like what? I’d like to keep hanging out, sure,” said Phil calmly, making Dan feel even more ridiculous.

Dan made sounds of thinking, trying to prevent himself from tripping over uncertain words. “We can always just go back to my home if there’s nowhere to go. Watch some movies or something.” _You moron!_ He cursed himself. “I’m sorry, I know that’s lame.”

“No, it’s not,” assured Phil. “I’d love to. Let’s go,” he beamed.

Dan wasn’t sure whether to feel embarrassed or relieved, so he settled on both. He and Phil got up from their seats and went out to Phil’s car. The car ride was spent listening to more of Pretty Odd. Once they arrived back at Dan’s home, they got out of the car and Dan led Phil upstairs.

Dan jiggled his key in the door lock and opened the door. “After you,” he said. Phil stepped inside and Dan followed, closing the door behind them.

Phil took a moment to look around. Much like the bakery itself, Dan’s home was splashed with well blended pops of colors. The living room was the first thing in view, having light colored carpet, pale blue walls, two white sofas, a matching white sofa chair, and light wood book shelves to the right by windows that were covered with pale grey-blue curtains. It was so quaint; it was lovely.

“Well, this is it,” said Dan. He hung up his keys on a wooden display that actually said “keys” by the front door. “Can I get you something to drink?”

Phil shrugged, “Eh, I think I’m good, but thank you.”

“Dan?” said a voice.

The color from Dan’s face drained. “Oh, fuck.”

“What?” asked Phil.

A moment later, a middle-aged woman with Dan’s brown hair and eyes stepped out from the back of the house. “I thought I heard you. Who’s this?” she asked with a smile.

“I’m Phil,” greeted Phil as he offered to shake her hand.

“Nice to meet you, Phil,” said Mrs. Howell. She looked at him notably. “Phil Lester?”

“That’s me.”

She beamed. “Oh! I know you; Dan’s mentioned you a few times before.”

“Mum!” Dan cut in, trying to stop her from saying anything further. Did parents just have a special talent for embarrassing their kids, or was it intentional?

Mrs. Howell giggled. “I guess I wasn’t supposed to say that.”

Since Dan was standing behind Phil, he allowed his expression to change to horrified. He covered his face with his hands, and tossed his head back.

“Anyway, I’ll be in the kitchen if you need anything,” said Mrs. Howell. “It was nice meeting you, Phil.” She walked down the hall and went left, disappearing into the kitchen. “Oh!” she shouted loud enough to be heard. “You’re to keep your door open, Dan.”

“MUM!” shouted Dan, his face completely crimson. He was certain he couldn’t feel any more humiliated. Surely Phil would be out of the house within seconds. That’s when he realized Phil was also blushing. “I’m so sorry.”

Phil chuckled, “It’s alright. Mums will be mums.” He looked at Dan, glad he wasn’t the only one getting flustered. “Uh, I’ll follow you.”

“Right,” Dan took that moment to jolt ahead of Phil so that he could hide his face. He led Phil to his room, reluctantly propping his door open with a heavy stuffed animal that was there for that exact reason. “Home sweet home.”

Dan’s room was a little on the small side, but it was neat for the most part. His desk by the window was a bit messy, but his bed was made, displaying a pale blue duvet and pillows. The floor had the same carpet that seemed to spread throughout the house, and his furniture was the same wood as the bookshelves from the living room. Across from the bed and against the wall was a small TV stand with a tiny television and DVD player. There was also an Xbox 360 hooked up to the TV. Various game boxes were spilled all around the gaming system.

“So, yeah, we can watch a movie or dick around on Skyrim. It’s really up to you,” said Dan.

“I’m good with a movie,” said Phil as he sat down on Dan’s bed. For a moment, he was pretty surprised. Just the other day, he was nervous to ask Dan out. Now, he was in Dan’s room, albeit with the door open.

Dan grabbed his laptop and turned it on. “We don’t have many DVDs, so I’m going to assume we’ll need to stream. Any ideas on what to watch?”

“Well, if we’re streaming,” Phil paused, pondering his choices. “I’m thinking either the new Star Trek or Lights Out.”

Dan nearly completely froze at hearing “Lights Out”. He awkwardly laughed and began searching for Star Trek. “I vote Star Trek…”

“Not a horror movie fan, I assume?” Phil laughed.

“Yeah, I don’t know things crawling around in the dark. Just, no.” He sat next to Phil and continued searching for a good version of the new movie. Eventually, he found one and set it up to start loading. In the meantime, he hooked up his laptop via HDMI to his TV so that they could watch on a bigger screen. Once it was all set up, they both got comfortable on his bed and began watching.

It wasn’t long before both Dan and Phil were trying to sort out what to do about the current situation. Phil settled on the cliché yawn and arm stretch, though his yawn was genuine. It was a slower part of the movie and Dan’s bed was _so_ comfortable. Dan couldn’t help but smile and lean into Phil’s grasp. It was surprisingly cozier than he would have thought. The two of them had sunk down into Dan’s pillows enough to where they were basically laying down, just barely propped up enough to watch the TV without straining their necks.

A knock on the doorframe is what awoke both of them. Dan’s cheeks lit up instantly. He was completely curled up to Phil in his sleep, resting his head on Phil’s chest, and his legs were splay across Phil’s as well.

“Yes, mum?” he asked trying not to panic.

Mrs. Howell smiled. “Just thought I'd wake you two. Dinner’s almost ready if you'd like to stay, Phil.”

“If love to,” said Phil, “but I should actually head home. I didn't tell my parents I'd be out this late. Thank you so much.”

“No worries. You're always welcome. Be safe heading home.” She walked away, leaving them alone.

Dan wasn't sure if he should be the first to pull away or not. He didn't want to seem like he didn't like it, because he definitely did. Cuddling Phil was probably the most comforting thing he'd ever felt, as ridiculous as that must have sounded. To his surprise, Phil tightened his grip, pulling him as close as possible.

“I should go,” said Phil sounding disappointed.

“Yeah,” said Dan. “I guess.”

Phil lowered his head to try and look at Dan. Luckily, Dan picked up on the gesture and looked up, allowing their eyes to meet. Their faces were fairly close together, allowing them to get their first _real_ look at one another. Phil’s eyes drifted down, sneaking a look at Dan’s lips. Dan noticed, and found himself doing the same. He swallowed nervously and just barely moved closer. Phil took the hint; he gently cupped Dan’s cheek and brought them together, gently pressing his lips to Dan’s.

Dan’s heart slammed in his chest. He'd never kissed a boy before, and honestly, it was so much better than he could have imagined. Phil’s lips were softer than he'd thought they'd be, and there was something slightly pleasing about feeling the lip piercings press against his flesh. He let his hands wander a bit, but not too far since his door was wide open. His hands found the back of Phil’s head, tangling in black hair.

Phil’s hands did their own exploring. He kept his left hand on Dan’s cheek, but his right drifted down to Dan’s waist and grabbed slightly, putting the right amount of pressure to make everything feel that much better. Gingerly, he moved his lips so that he could bite down on Dan’s bottom lip. He'd always been a fan of biting while kissing. After a moment, he let go and went back to kissing sweetly.

It wasn't long before Dan tried copying Phil's actions, assuming that Phil would like the same things done to him that he'd performed. He carefully bit down on Phil’s lip and pulled lightly, breaking their kiss for the first time. They opened their eyes to look at each other. Now, they were flushed and their lips were red and slightly swollen. It was clear evidence, but neither of them could find it in themselves to care.

“I should _seriously_ get home,” said Phil with a small laugh. He desperately wanted to continue, but he was already positive that by the time he'd reach his car he'd be getting texts from his mum.

“Text me so I know you got home safe,” said Dan. He quickly moved forward, pecking Phil before pulling away and sitting up. “I'll walk you out.” He swung his legs over the edge of his bed and stood up, leading Phil outside.

Phil unlocked his car and huffed. Damn, he did _not_ want to leave. He honestly felt a little silly. It's not like they couldn't hang out again.

“I'll text you,” said Phil.

“Or call,” said Dan. “Whichever.” He didn't want to admit it, but Phil’s voice was the kind you wanted to hear if given the opportunity.

Phil grinned, “Will do.” He pecked Dan’s lips and got into in his car, closing the door and starting the engine before Dan could get in another word.

Dan waved at Phil as Phil drove off. Once Phil was down the street, Dan headed back inside. Dan went upstairs and vanished to his room. He lay on his bed and let out the air he didn't know he was holding. Had that actually just happened? Was that whole day real? About fifteen minutes later, he received a text.

 **Phil:** Home safe!

It sure as hell had happened. Holy shit.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you guys for reading! I hope you liked it ^^ Please leave a comment letting me know what you think! It makes my day to read what you all have to say :) As usual you can follow me on my social media for sneak peeks more phan related content.
> 
> Thanks again! Bye~
> 
> Twitter: https://twitter.com/followurdream97  
> Tumblr: http://phangirl-landphil.tumblr.com/


	4. Chapter 4

Chapter 4:

It turned out that Phil’s “Home safe!” text lead to a full blown conversation between him and Dan. The two talked for a few hours until they fell asleep, and then picked it right up the next morning.

 **Dan:** Here’s the real question: Which was better, FMA or FMA:B?

 **Phil:** FMA:B, and if you disagree we can’t be friends.

 **Dan:** Good thing FMA:B is a million times better. :p

 **Phil:** Right? I’m considering binging it over the summer. There’s nothing else to do lol

 **Dan:** I can hang out today if you’re bored.

Phil wanted to immediately reply yes, but he knew he had plans to hang out with PJ and Chris. They were going to play paintball and then grab a bite to eat. However, it’s not like it was something exclusive. Phil switched over to texting PJ and Chris in their group chat.

 **Phil:** Hey! Are we still good for today? And if so, is it cool if I bring a friend?

 **PJ:** We’re good. 1:00 p.m. And boy? Who are you bringing?

 **Chris:** I bet it’s that guy he ditched us to talk to at graduation. *smirk emoji*

 **Phil:** …So can I bring him?

 **PJ:** As long as you don’t ditch us to get laid.

 **Chris:** Or hold hands and shit. *sick emoji*

 **Phil:** He’s a FRIEND. -.-

 **PJ:** Riiiiight. *sassy girl emoji* See you later!

 **Phil:** *middle finger emoji*

Phil then switched back to texting Dan.

 **Phil:** I’m hanging out with some friends today. We’re going out to play paintball and then getting food. Do you wanna come?

 **Dan:** Are you sure I wouldn’t be intruding…?

 **Phil:** I already asked. :) It’s fine!

 **Dan:** :) Okay.

 **Phil:** I’ll pick you up at 12:30!

 **Dan:** See you then ^.^

At 12:30 on the dot, Phil pulled up to Dan’s home. He honked his horn, and a moment later Dan appeared. He hurried out the door and got in the car.

“Hey,” he greeted with a grin.

“Hey,” replied Phil. He turned on the AC and headed out to meet with PJ and Chris. “How’s it going?”

Dan shrugged. “It’s going. I have to work when I get home, but eh. It’s just cake decorating.” He paused for a moment. “Do you ever have a moment when you realize just how _gay_ you are?”

Phil burst out laughing. “More often than I’d like to admit.” He was surprised. Dan already seemed so much more comfortable around him. “It mainly crosses my mind when I judge people’s outfits. I feel so stereotypical, but I can’t help it.”

“Well, some people shouldn’t be allowed to dress themselves. That’s not our fault either. Mine, however, is definitely working with my parents. I’m a little _too_ good at cake decorating and baking, even for growing up with it.”

“I mean,” Phil chuckled. “I’d take it as a talent. I tried making a homemade cake for my mum’s birthday once. My brother and I worked on it all day and it was barely edible, nonetheless looked nice. If we’re being honest, it was a completely pathetic attempt.”

“I doubt it was that bad.”

“We frosted it too soon, so the frosting melted, the cake was two layers and they kept sliding apart for some reason, so it was a leaning tower of cake, and I think we used too much of an ingredient because it didn’t rise.”

Dan was silent for a moment. He reached over and placed his hand on Phil’s shoulder. “Never bake again, I beg you.” They both laughed. “Hey, at least you know a great place to get a good cake.” He made finger guns at Phil and sighed. “Why am I like this?”

Phil made a choking sound that was seemingly a cut off laugh and shook his head. “I’ve met a living meme!”

“You have _no_ idea,” said Dan still keeping his finger guns up. He rested his arms and slouched in his seat. “This is my browsing position. This is how I stay for six hours while looking at shit posts on Tumblr.”

“If I’m not on Crunchyroll I’m probably watching Markiplier or on Tumblr, so I understand.”

“Okay, but who doesn’t watch Mark?”

Phil made a “hmm” sound, as if actually pondering the question. “People who are actually good at Five Nights?”

Dan nodded and made a click sound. “You’ve got me there.”

The conversation continued as they drove. Just a while later, they arrived at the paintball arena. Phil got out of the car along with Dan and locked it as they were walking away. Dan followed closely, keeping an eye out for PJ and Chris. He’d heard the names before, but he wasn’t sure which people they were meeting up with. Phil had, had a lot of friends in high school, but perhaps these were his _real_ friends, and not just people he sat with at lunch.

“Yo!” shouted a voice.

Dan and Phil looked over, and Chris and PJ were by their car. They were sat on the tailgate of the truck. Dan was surprised at first. They both looked completely normal, just a bit nerdy with graphic t-shirts. He’d expected them to be more like Phil.

“Hey!” shouted Phil as he and Dan approached. “PJ, Chris, this is Dan. Dan, PJ and Chris.”

“Hey,” greeted Dan shyly.

“Nice to meet ya,” said Chris. He hopped down from the tailgate and waited for PJ to follow. He put the tailgate up and locked it in place. “Ready to get your ass kicked?”

Dan chuckled, “I can promise I’ll lose. I’m not exactly ‘athletic’.” He used air quotes for emphasis.

“None of us are,” said PJ. “Chris just likes to pretend.”

“Hey,” said Chris. “I’ll have you know that I actually walked half a mile trying to finish hatching an egg in Pokemon GO.” He stuck out his arms like he was making a fighting stance. “Parkour!”

Everyone laughed at Chris’ joke. Dan was relieved. Chris and PJ seemed pretty weird, but in the way that made him happy and comfortable to be hanging out with them.

“Alright,” said Phil, “how do we want to do this? Free-for-all?”

PJ and Chris exchanged a glance. Phil could only describe their expressions as “cheeky” and that wasn’t good at all.

“Chris and I were thinking teams would be better,” said PJ. “Us against you guys.”

Phil first made sure that Dan couldn’t see his expression, and he then shot a glare at Chris and PJ. “Sounds good to me. We’ll kick your ass.” He turned to face Dan. “That okay with you?”

Dan nodded his head. “Sure.”

“Great,” said Chris, his expression unchanging. “Three shots and you’re dead. First team down loses.”

“What if we get shot by someone else in the arena?” asked Dan.

“You can get armbands to wear, which let other players know you’re playing with other people and don’t want to participate in the free-for-all,” said PJ. “Most people come here to play in their own groups anyway, so it shouldn’t be an issue.”

“Okay,” said Dan. “Let’s go then.”

The four of them made their way into the building. Once inside, they paid for their passes and waited in line until their group could get into the arena. They received arm bands to wear, which they tied on while waiting. Dan and Phil were blue, and Chris and PJ were red. Before they were let in, they were given padding to wear to help protect against injury. It was a bit clunky, but it did help camouflage with the terrain of the arena, which Dan was glad for. He didn’t exactly own any clothes that weren’t bright and noticeable. The last thing they were given was the option to put on war paint; they all decided to accept the offer. After putting streaks of black on their faces, they were ready to go.

Dan and Phil went to the left side of the arena, whilst Chris and PJ went right. They all hid, waiting for the horn to sound, starting the game. Once the horn echoed throughout the area, everyone playing began to move. Dan and Phil walked carefully and quietly, making their way through the trees. As they crept along, Phil just barely got sight of PJ. He hunkered down, doing his best to hide but still get in shooting range. Just as he was aiming, PJ moved. He huffed and lowered his gun.

Dan scanned the area, keeping an eye out. He could faintly see Chris looking around. Carefully, he reached out to touch Phil. Once he had Phil’s attention, he had Phil get down and out of sight. He aimed his gun at Chris and shot. Before he could see if he made a hit, he hit the ground instantly, getting out of sight.

“Ow!” shouted Chris.

Phil gave Dan a quiet high five. “Nice shot!” he whispered.

“GTA five ladies and gentlemen,” whispered Dan. “Let’s move before they head this way.” He and Phil army crawled on the ground, slowly but surely making their way away from their previous location.

The game went on for a while. All four of them had been shot twice. Because of that, they were all being defensive rather than aggressive, no one wanting to get shot and be out of the game. However, they only had five minutes left of their 45 minute game. The last thing they needed was a draw.

Dan and Phil were moving extremely slowly, doing their best to not make a sound. It suddenly dawned upon them that they were the only ones left in the arena with Chris and PJ. Everyone else had been shot three times and had left. If they were spotted first it was over.

“Should we be aggressive and just go for it?” asked Phil quietly.

“I don’t know. That could work, but it could also backfire.” Dan huffed. “Not to mention that they’re clearly as competitive as we are.”

Phil nodded. “Yeah. We’re all couch potatoes until it comes to something like this. We can die of exhaustion later.”

“After we shoot them.”

Slowly, Dan and Phil continued to creep along, being as silent as possible. They froze when they heard rustling near them, not too far ahead. Tip-toeing, they made their way towards the sound, guns ready.

“SNEAK ATTACK!” shouted Chris as he jumped at them from a rock.

Phil shielded Dan immediately, resulting in him getting shot in the back. Quickly, Dan wiggled his gun out of being confined and fired a shot. It barely missed, giving Chris the chance to dive sideways and shoot him on the ground.

“Woo! I got them both!” yelled Chris in victory.

“Aw yeah!” cheered PJ as he popped up from the ground.

Dan and Phil couldn’t help but laugh despite their defeat. Chris ran off towards PJ, still celebrating. Phil looked down to realize he was pretty much directly on top of Dan. He was glad for a war paint on his face.

“You okay?” he asked. He knew they were both perfectly fine, but there was something in him that needed to be sure. Dan seemed a little fragile to him.

“Yeah,” Dan nodded, “I’m fine.” Suddenly, the war paint was a blessing. He felt overwhelmingly bashful being pressed down under Phil’s weight. He’d be lying if he were to say that he didn’t like it, but the paintball place wasn’t exactly the place to start trying for anything. So, instead he lifted his head slightly and just barely pecked Phil’s lips. “Let’s go before they drive away without us.”

A wide smile spread on Phil’s face. “Okay,” he said softly. He rolled off of Dan and helped him up. Looking over at Chris and PJ, he realized they were both smirking at him. He mouthed “Fuck off!” at them and then turned back to Dan. “Ready to go?”

“Yeah.”

The four boys gave back all the equipment and went to the restroom to wash the paint off of their faces. It turned out of that the paint was a bit harder to get off than expected. Chris and PJ resorted to sticking their heads in the sink and rubbing their hands over their faces, hoping for the best.

“This is impossible,” said Phil as he attempted to rub some off of his cheek.

Dan stared at his face in mirror irritably. “Have we tried soap yet?”

“No, because risking soap in the eye isn’t worth it. I’ll walk around with this shit on my face first,” said Chris.

“Fuck this,” said PJ. “Chris, come with me; let’s ask somebody how to get this shit off.” He and Chris walked out the door, leaving Dan and Phil.

“I honestly think we just need to use soap,” said Dan.

“Here,” Phil pumped some soap into his hand and mixed it with water. “Be still.” He started rubbing Dan’s cheek, and sure enough, the paint came right off. “Leave it to a bunch of guys to avoid soap until the breaking point.” He chuckled to himself. “Just give me a second.”

“Okay, thank you.” Dan couldn’t help but be grateful that they were the only two in the restroom. Not that there was anything wrong with Phil helping him, it was just something that felt private for some reason. “Here.” Dan started washing off some of the paint on Phil’s face as well.

“I’d pay money for Chris and PJ to come back in this moment.” Phil rolled his eyes. “I don’t think I’d ever hear the end of it.”

Dan laughed, “Do they think we’re together?”

“Honestly, I’m not sure.”

“Well,” Dan felt his throat tightening in nervousness, “what did you tell them about me? Y-You don’t have to say if you don’t want to. I’m just curious. The way they act. It’s like they know something.”

“Heh,” Phil felt sheepish trying to think of an answer. “They know we went out, but they don’t even know I went back to your house.”

“I’m guessing you don’t want them to know, thus playing the game of, ‘no we didn’t have sex, please believe me’.”

“Yeah, my friends think I’m a man whore for some reason,” he shook his head. “I think they give me shit because I’m _not_ like that.”

“If we’re being honest,” Dan sighed, “I wasn’t sure what to think when you left. But, when we started texting, I don’t know, it just felt different. It felt like,” he hesitated. A small chuckle escaped his throat as he looked away. “You went and made me trust you over night.”

Phil gingerly lifted Dan’s chin, making it so that he could look into the younger boy’s eyes. “You don’t have to look away from me like that.” He smiled. “You went and made me trust you over night as well. I can’t explain it.”

“So,” Dan leaned a little bit closer, “if that’s the case, I hope it’s okay to do this again.” He moved forward just enough to make their lips touch.

Phil moved his hands down, grabbing at Dan’s waist. Dan wrapped his arms around Phil’s neck, holding his own wrists and tightening his grip. He tilted his head slightly, moving his lips with Phil’s, finding their harmony. Phil carefully ran his tongue along Dan’s lips, and Dan responded immediately, parting his lips and meeting Phil’s tongue with his own.

“Knock, knock, mother fuckers!” yelled Chris as he flung the restroom door open.

Dan and Phil pulled apart with a yelp, both of them getting fairly startled.

“Let’s go, you dirty hoes,” teased Chris. The paint was off his face, as well as PJ’s.

“Shut up, Chris!” said Phil failing at holding back his laughter. “I’m going to kick your ass!” He chased after Chris, whom ran off right after that threat.

PJ looked to Dan and smiled. “You know it’s all in good fun, right?”

“Yeah,” Dan nodded. “He told me. It’s better to laugh anyway. Let’s go get them before they get us kicked out.” He chuckled.

“No kidding,” PJ rolled his eyes, “let’s go.”

***

The boys left the paintball arena and headed out to get food. They ended up stopping at a local burger place, ordering way too much food and eating most of it anyway. Dan and Phil quickly got the rest of the paint off while waiting for their order to arrive.

“So, what are your uni plans, Dan?” asked PJ. He stuffed ketchup covered chips into his mouth and chugged down some soda as he gestured to Phil. “Because,” he paused to finish swallowing his food, “Mr. Smarty Pants over here is going to Oxford.”

Phil rolled his eyes. “You could have gotten good scores too, PJ.” He feigned being offended when PJ flipped him off. “Anyway, Dan?”

“Right,” Dan seemed extremely hesitant. “I, um,” he mumbled. Without warning, his phone sounded in his pocket. “I should take this!” He grabbed his cell phone and darted off to the restroom.

Phil, PJ, and Chris all exchanged confused and worried looks.

“Why did he freak out like that?” asked Chris. He drank some soda and started shoveling in chips. “He shouldn’t be embarrassed if he’s going somewhere small.”

Phil began running things through his mind. Dan was an only child as far as Phil could tell, but he didn’t have much. Sure, he had things like a TV and an Xbox, but they were old. In fact, a lot of things at Dan’s home were fairly old. The TV in the living room was so old it was boxy, far from a flat screen, and he could have sworn the DVD player was just that. He didn’t remember seeing a Blu-ray. It was subtle, but in a way, obvious.

“I don’t think Dan’s going to uni,” said Phil.

“Okay, so?” asked PJ. “What’s the problem?”

“I don’t think it’s by choice. His family owns a little bakery. They probably can’t afford to send him.”

Everyone fell silent. Not being able to afford university wasn’t uncommon, but it did make life fairly difficult. Without a degree, getting a good paying job was damn near impossible, and everyone knew it. That’s why, whether you liked it or not, if you could go to university, you did.

Dan came back over to the booth looking disappointed. “My parents need me at home to work. I’m really sorry.”

“Hey, it’s no big deal,” said Phil. “I’ll take you home.”

Everyone said their goodbyes and drove off in different directions. Dan and Phil’s drive started out painfully quiet, but Phil decided to just flat out ask Dan for the truth.

“You can’t afford uni, can you?” he asked.

Dan’s eyes widened and he sunk in his seat. He shook his head, not taking his eyes off of his shoes.

“Why are you embarrassed? Not everyone can afford it. You can try for scholar—”

“My scores weren’t good enough to get me a full ride,” Dan cut off Phil’s statement. “We can’t afford it one bit, so without a full ride I can’t go.”

Phil was silent for a moment. What was he supposed to say to something like that? “I’m sorry.”

Dan shrugged. “It’s fine. My parents need me at home anyway. I don’t mind staying.”

 _And watching all your friends leave…_ Phil thought to himself. He felt horrible. Personally, he couldn’t imagine staying home. University was said to be the best years of your life. To not have that and be away from all your friends who did go would be awful.

Phil pulled up the bakery and parked the car. “Well, I had fun,” he said with a smile hoping to earn one back. He didn’t.

“I had fun too. I’ll see you.” Dan got out of the car and hurried inside without another word.

Driving home, Phil couldn’t stop thinking. Dan seemed so _upset_ when he went home. Whether he’d admit it or not, he wanted to go to university, but there was just no way. Phil felt his stomach sink. There was nothing he could do. With a heavy heart, he drove home, went upstairs, and locked himself in his room to be alone for a while.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you for reading guys! I hope you liked it ^^ I had a lot of fun with this one. Please leave a comment letting me know what you thought ^^ As always, you can follow me on my other social media for updates and more phan related content :) Thanks again! Bye!~
> 
> Twitter: https://twitter.com/followurdream97
> 
> Tumblr: http://phangirl-landphil.tumblr.com/


	5. Chapter 5

The Last Night

 

  
Chapter 5:

Phil hadn’t heard from Dan in over a week. All attempts to text him were completely ignored. Every text he received filled him with hope that was ultimately crushed. He lay on his bed, staring at the ceiling and tossing his phone around in his hand. Why was Dan blowing him off? Was Dan mad at him? What happened? He took a deep breath and gave himself a moment to really think it over. Frustration overwhelmed him when he couldn’t place what was wrong. In that moment, he decided it was do or die. He could either _go_ and find out what was wrong, or let it eat at him for the rest of the summer.

“Going out!” announced Phil as he ran downstairs and out the door. He got in his car and drove off.

When Phil arrived at the bakery, he suddenly felt like maybe he was making a mistake. Why had he gone through the trouble to _show up_ at Dan’s home just to find out what was going on? It’s not like they were together. He huffed angrily and ran his fingers through his hair. What was he doing? He stepped out of the car. It was completely stupid. He walked inside the bakery. Honestly, he was such an idiot.

“Hey,” he said as he spotted Mrs. Howell and walked up to the counter. “Is Dan here?” he asked.

Mrs. Howell nodded and smiled at him. “Yes, dear, he’s upstairs. You can go inS if you’d like.”

Giant. Fucking. Mistake.

“Thank you,” said Phil with a small grin. He sauntered past Mrs. Howell and went upstairs.

Once inside, Phil spotted Dan lying on the living room couch, a book propped up on his stomach. Dan looked a mix of peaceful and bored. Phil wasn’t sure which emotion Dan was experiencing, if either.

“Um,” he quietly mumbled and tapped his knuckle on the wall.

Dan’s head jolted up, his expression turning to a mix of shock and terror. “P-Phil? What are you doing here?”

Phil began to walk over to Dan. Dan sat up in his seat and closed his book, holding it close to him like a shield.

“Look,” Phil sat on the couch by Dan’s feet. “I couldn’t just sit at home and keep wondering what I did. So, please, tell me. What,” he stopped, “what…happened?”

Dan’s eyes saddened. He felt horrid. “I-I…I…” he tripped over his words. His gaze drifted away, refusing to look Phil in the eye. He hadn’t realized that Phil would actually care. Slowly, he heaved a deep breath and forced himself to look at Phil. “I’m scared to get close.”

“What?” asked Phil. He looked at Dan completely bewildered.

“You’re so easy to talk to,” began Dan. “In fact, I’d go as far as to say I’ve never spoken with someone so easily. I have a ton of fun spending time with you. I like you and your friends. I don’t feel out of place. And the last thing I want is to spend summer getting close to you just for you to leave in the end.”

Phil was absolutely silent. He hadn’t thought about that at all. When he’d realized that Dan watching his friends leave would hurt, he hadn’t realized that he _was_ one of Dan’s friends, possibly even a bit more. Without thinking twice, he swiftly moved towards Dan, capturing Dan’s lips with his own. He needed Dan to push him away, to reject him for good, but instead Dan melted right into it.

Dan sank underneath Phil, allowing Phil to lie on top of him. He let his book to fall off the couch, and he brought his arms up to wrap around Phil’s body. Phil placed on hand on Dan’s side and allowed the other to play with Dan’s hair. He wasted no time parting Dan’s lips with his tongue; he didn’t have time to be gentle. Dan thrust his hips up out of reflex, but in that moment it was almost like an instinct. Phil grinded down against him, creating the friction they were both craving. They moved together, finding their rhythm, learning each other’s bodies.

Without missing a beat, Phil pulled away from Dan just long enough to reattach his lips to Dan’s neck. Dan’s entire body responded to that, and a quiet moan fell from his lips. His grip on Phil tightened immensely. He writhed underneath Phil, trying to get used to the sensations. Phil decided to see how Dan would react to biting, and he carefully sunk his teeth into Dan’s flesh.

“Ah! Fuck!” Dan responded verbally for the first time as kicked with his legs, though he made sure not to actually kick Phil. “D-Don’t!”

Phil pulled back immediately. “I’m sorry!”

“No, no,” Dan ensured, “I didn’t mean it like that. I just can’t get a hickey, or my mum will flip shit.”

“Oh,” Phil sighed in relief. “Jesus you scared me.” He rested his head on Dan’s chest. “My heart.”

Dan giggled. “Sorry, I just don’t want to get in trouble. I,” he hesitated. “I want to be able to hang out with you after all.”

Phil raised his head to look at Dan. “Yeah? What about getting close? I don’t want you to get hurt when I leave.”

“I don’t want to get hurt either, but at this point, I think I would regret spending this summer just sitting around and not hanging out with someone who makes me happy. And you do. You make me happy.”

“I think I’d regret it too.” Phil gnawed his bottom lip and sighed. “But, there is one thing we have to address.”

Dan looked at him curiously. “Hm?”

“After that, I think being friends is a bit of a dumb attempt.”

Dan laughed and leaned his head back on the edge of the couch. “Yeah, that would be pretty stupid. So, what do we do then?”

“My only hesitation is that I know long distance just doesn’t work. Let’s face it.”

“Especially with college being a time of your life when you’re supposed to meet new people and grow as a person. I wouldn’t want to hold you back.” He slowly started running his fingers through Phil’s hair. “How about this, we date, go out, whatever, but our end date is the morning you leave for Oxford.”

“You’d be alright with that?”

“Yeah,” he nodded. “I’d be happier having you for a while than not at all.” Gingerly, he placed a quick kiss on Phil’s head. “So what do you say?”

Phil’s face turned into a small smile, “Yeah, I think it would be nice to have someone for the summer.” He maneuvered upwards to kiss Dan. “So, you busy today?” He stuck out his tongue from the side of his mouth and winked.

“Um,” Dan giggled and hid his face. Phil was too cute for him to handle. “I have work today until about 6:00. After that, no.”

“Want to hang out at my house? We can just hang around for the night and maybe watch some anime or something.”

“Sounds like a good time to me.”

Phil pecked Dan’s lips one more time before climbing off of the other boy. “I’ll pick you up. 6:30?”

“Perfect.” Dan stood up and took Phil’s hands into his own. “I’ll see you then I guess.” He stood close enough to Phil to where he just barely had to glance up to have their eyes meet.

Phil took his right hand from Dan so tilt Dan’s chin up and kiss him once again. It was as if stopping and leaving was becoming more and more difficult despite their promise to see each other in just a few short hours.

“I’ll see you,” said Phil as he rested his nose against Dan’s. He pulled away and left, knowing that if he didn’t get out of there he wouldn’t be able to. There was something about Dan that made separating difficult. He felt ridiculous, but it was out of his control.

The drive home was spent thinking about the situation. Maybe they were better off that way. They could enjoy a summer fling, and then just stay friends while he was away. That was reasonable, right? He hoped so. The last thing he wanted was to lose Dan, but he couldn’t exactly seem to stay away either. Dan just drew him in. Like a magnet or gravitational pull, Dan was irresistible to say the least. Perhaps only being together for the summer would be safer anyway, or he’d risk falling in love.

Wait…

Fall in love? That was insane! He wasn’t going to fall in love. Sure, he could get attached, but he didn’t need to worry about _that_. He shook his head. How stupid was he for the thought to even cross his mind? Sigh. He needed to just relax and enjoy the time he had with Dan. If he started being crazy now, that would only make things that much worse.

After arriving at home, Phil checked his phone to see that he had a text from Dan.

 **Dan:** So, about tonight. Apparently, BF for the summer only or not, my parents want to have you over for dinner. *blush emoji* I guess my mom came up the steps and overheard us talking about it. *eye roll emoji*

Phil felt his heart flip. Okay, he did not sign up to meet parents.

 **Phil:** Haha, ok! When?

 **Dan:** They asked about tonight, but I know that’s short notice and kinda screws with what we had planned. :/ It’s up to you.

 **Phil:** I don’t mind :) Same time as before?

 **Dan:** Yeah, I’ll let them know :)

 **Phil:** See ya!

 **Dan:** *blush and smile emoji*

Phil tossed his phone onto his bed and then flopped down on it himself. He suddenly felt very self-conscious about everything from his tattoos to his piercings and then some. Even though Mrs. Howell already seemed to like him, this meeting felt more formal, and dads were scary. He huffed. Why was he worrying so much? It was just for the summer. It was just for the summer.

***

As he turned off the car engine, Phil couldn’t help but feel hesitant. He’d changed into a red and black button-up plaid shirt and black jeans. The sleeves were rolled down, concealing the various art that coated his skin. Pulling down the visor, he looked at himself in the mirror. His hair was shaggy, but not _too_ messy. He’d switched out his black snake bites for silver rings, feeling that looked at least a little bit better. With a shaky sigh, he popped the visor back up in its proper place and got out of the car.

The bakery was closed for the evening, so he leaned against the car and texted Dan. A moment later, the lights to the store turned on. The door opened, revealing Dan standing on the threshold.

“Hey!” he greeted cheerfully.

Phil calmed down straight away. Dan seeming so happy and relaxed about the situation made it much less terrifying. “Hey!” He walked over and gave Dan a quick hug before stepped inside the building. “Should I be scared or?” He laughed.

Dan chuckled, “Nah, my parents are really cool actually. They just want to meet you since we’re seeing each other. You know how parents can be.” He rolled his eyes.

“Alright,” Phil grinned. “After you.”

Dan led Phil upstairs, closing the door behind them and announcing their arrival over the slightly loud buzz of the TV. His parents were sat on the couch watching a movie. They turned around and greeted Phil.

“Phil,” said Mrs. Howell as she paused the movie. “Good to see you, sweetie.” She stood up and gave him a hug.

“Nice to see you too,” said Phil. His heart rate picked up a bit when he turned to look at Mr. Howell. Why were dads so intimidating?

“Philip, nice to meet you,” said Mr. Howell as he shook Phil’s hand.

“Good to meet you, sir,” replied Phil. Mr. Howell’s handshake was sturdy and a bit harsh.

“I’ll go check on dinner,” said Mrs. Howell. She fast-walked out of the living room and into the kitchen.

Luckily for Phil, dinner was ready and everyone sat down. He sat beside Dan and across from Mr. Howell. His nerves were slowly getting worse. Whilst Mrs. Howell seemed chipper as ever, Mr. Howell was hard to read, and that was frightening.

“So,” began Mr. Howell as he served himself some food, “I hear you’re going to Oxford.”

“Y-Yeah,” stuttered Phil. “Did Dan tell you?”

“You mentioned it in your speech at graduation.”

“Right…”

“Well, I think it’s wonderful,” said Mrs. Howell. “Do you know what you’re going to study yet?”

Phil’s heart was singing in his ears. He felt the need to sound really intelligent and well put together, but the truth was he wasn’t sure what he wanted out of life yet. “I have a few things in mind, but I first want to get my basics out of the way and see where life goes from there before I choose a major.”

“Good plan! I switched majors three times because I didn’t know what I wanted.” She sighed. “When you’re young, finding a path can be really rough. There’s no need to rush.”

“That’s what I’ve heard. I want to make sure I know what I want, and right now it’s a little fuzzy.”

“Hopefully none of your careers will prohibit all those tattoos you have,” said Mr. Howell.

“Dad,” said Dan slightly harshly.

“It’s okay,” said Phil. He reached under the table and gave Dan’s hand a quick squeeze. “The careers I’m interested in pursuing won’t have any issues with it. I made sure of that before I started getting work done.”

“At least you sort of thought ahead.”

Ouch. Phil wondered why Mr. Howell was passing such a harsh judgement. He hadn’t done anything wrong, had he? Though, maybe Mr. Howell would ease up. After all, Phil was pretty sure he saw Mrs. Howell kick him under the table.

The talking died down a bit once everyone started eating. Home-cooked meals weren’t necessarily special to Phil; he got them often, but Mrs. Howell was a damn good cook. He wanted to say something, but feared repercussion from Mr. Howell. Somehow he guessed that he’d manage to compliment the food _wrong_.

Dinner ended, and Mrs. Howell began cleaning up after everyone. Dan got up from his seat and started helping her, scraping excess food into the trash and rinsing out glasses. Phil sat there awkwardly, avoiding eye contact with Mr. Howell, whom he knew was eyeing him seemingly angrily.

“Philip, join me in the living room, would you?” requested Mr. Howell.

Phil thought his dinner might make a return. He glanced over at Dan, hoping for some sort of reassurance, but Dan was too busy loading the dishwasher to notice what was going on.

“Y-Yes, sir,” said Phil. He stood up and followed Mr. Howell into the living room. Taking a seat on the couch, he watched Mr. Howell carefully as the man sat down in what seemed to be _his_ chair across from the couch.

“So, I hear you’re dating my son,” began Mr. Howell. Phil opened his mouth to reply, but Mr. Howell cut him off. “Until you leave.”

Phil’s mouth closed. He wanted to explain, swear it wasn’t as bad as it sounded, but the words wouldn’t come out. They were caught on his tongue and melding together, becoming a meshed mess that couldn’t be spoken.

“I have no problem with you dating my son. I’ve known he was gay since he was three. We, as his parents, love him no matter what. And that means I’m going to protect him, no matter who he’s dating. All I want to know is why you two are setting yourselves up the way you are.”

The room was spinning. Phil tried calming himself down, thinking of a rational way to explain, but nothing seemed to make sense in his mind. What as he supposed to say? “Well,” he uttered out. “The reason we want to end it at the end of summer is because we know long distance usually doesn’t work.”

“Then why date at all? What’s the point if you just end it? I do _not_ want to hear that you’re using Daniel.”

“No!” protested Phil in the most assuring tone he could muster in his state. “Of course not! I would never do that to anyone, especially Dan! I don’t want to see him hurt.” He took a silent, deep breath. “Dan is one of the kindest people I’ve ever met. He and I talk easily, and I like spending time with him. We want to date for the summer because we’d rather have this time than no time at all.”

Mr. Howell’s entire demeanor changed. He suddenly seemed much calmer. The tenseness in his shoulders faded, and he appeared to breathe easier. “I hope you know I was harsh because I want to make sure my boy isn’t going to get hurt.”

“Yes,” Phil nodded, “I understand. And I swear that’s not my intention.”

For the first time, Mr. Howell smiled. “Take care of him while you’re here, alright?”

After releasing pent up terror in a quiet breath, Phil managed a smile as well. “I will; I promise.”

“Hey,” said Dan as he walked into the living room. “I’m done helping with clean up, so we can go out for a while if you want. Catch a movie or something.”

“Sure, that sounds good,” said Phil. He got to his feet. “Ready when you are.”

“Be safe,” shouted Mrs. Howell from the kitchen.

“We will, mum,” hollered Dan to be heard. “It’s just a movie.”

“Don’t sass your mother,” said Mr. Howell, though his tone was gentle. “Just be safe for us.”

Dan nodded his head, “We will be.” He looked to Phil, his eyes practically screaming “Let’s go!”

“Bye, Mr. Howell,” said Phil. “Good to meet you.”

“Good to meet you too, Philip,” said Mr. Howell.

Dan and Phil waved goodbye and left, Dan pretty much dragging Phil out the door. “Sorry about that. Do I want to know what my dad said while I was helping my mum?”

“Well he,” Phil hesitated. The last thing he wanted to do was embarrass Dan, so he decided leaving out some parts was okay. “He just said that he wants me to take care of you, even for the short time we’re going to be together.”

Dan sighed in relief. “Thank _god_! I was worried he gave you the whole, ‘I’m going to protect my son no matter his sexuality’ speech. I think I’d hang myself.” He laughed.

Phil opened Dan’s door for him, “Nah, you’re fine.” He couldn’t help but chuckle to himself. What Dan didn’t know wouldn’t hurt him. He got in on the driver’s side of the car and headed off to the cinema.

Dan and Phil decided on seeing Mike and Dave Need Wedding Dates. They were in the mood to laugh. Phil paid for the popcorn, and Dan snuck in a bottle of water in his sweater. The movie luckily turned out to be hilarious. There were a few occasions Dan nearly collapsed in Phil’s lap from laughing.

After tossing their remaining food and drink in the bin, Dan and Phil left the cinema.

“Oh man, that was actually better than I thought it would be,” said Phil. “It’s one of those I won’t buy, but I’ll stream it when I need a good laugh.”

“Or when you need a _good_ trash movie to put on when you’re with friends,” added Dan. “I’m glad we got to see it. I had fun.”

“So did I.” Phil opened Dan’s door for him as usual and then got in on his side. He turned on the car and then took out his phone to check the time. “It’s almost midnight.”

Dan huffed. “I should probably go home then. I’m opening tomorrow.” He made a choking sound and brought his first two fingers into his mouth, pretending to shoot himself and sinking down in his seat.

“I’m going to take a wild guess and say you don’t like opening.” Phil chuckled. He started driving them back to Dan’s home.

“No, I don’t. I hate setting up, and I hate cleaning. Both of which you do when you open, and my mum’s busy so I’m opening alone.”

“That does not sound fun.”

“It literally turns me into the human version of the upside down smile emoji.” He sighed. “Oh well. At least I only work until 3:00 because of it.”

“That’s good.” Phil drummed his fingers on the steering wheel. Was it too much to ask to hang out _again_ tomorrow? Sure, they were dating now, but it still seemed like a lot, though he wanted to ask really badly. Though, what would they do? He didn’t want to drain the town of fun things to do in less than five dates. Route 66 diner, check. He supposed paintball counted, and then there was that night. Three dates and they had exhausted the town of fun. Great.

“Yup,” agreed Dan. “I’ll probably be texting you while I’m supposed to be working in the back.” He scoffed. “As you can see, I take my job very seriously.”

Phil pumped his fist in the air. “Go productivity!”

Phil parked outside the bakery, but he didn’t turn off the engine. It was partially a reminder that they need to actually _go_.

“Thanks for everything tonight,” said Phil.

Dan grinned. “No, thank you. Relaxed or not, I know parents can be a lot. It meant a lot to me that you came over to meet them.”

“Of course.” He leaned over and gave Dan a quick kiss. “Have a good night, okay?”

“Okay.” Dan moved forward, capturing Phil’s lips again. They pulled apart just enough to look at one another, and then they brought themselves together again.

The kisses were hot and fast this time. Phil put his hands on Dan’s hips and got himself situated, finding a comfortable position to keep going. Dan had his hands on Phil’s shoulders, easily putting his weight on the older boy. He nearly jumped when he felt Phil’s hands snaking up his shirt. Pressing into Phil’s touch, he felt jolts of electricity going up and down his spine rapidly.

Phil lost all sense of reason as he was kissing Dan. His hands made their way to Dan’s back and began lightly raking. He wants to feel Dan’s skin as much as possible. Smoothly, he changed the dynamic of their kiss, switching to quick pecks that he trailed from Dan’s lips to his jaw and then to his neck. Dan let out a breathy moan, his grip tightening. Phil was careful about leaving a mark, but that didn’t stop him from kissing all over Dan’s neck, adding just enough pressure from sucking to cause Dan to start getting louder.

All bets were off. Dan wrapped his arms around Phil’s back and held on for dear life. Every part of him knew he needed to go. He needed to stop, but it was impossible. Leaning his head to the left, he bared his neck for Phil, trying to give him as much access as possible. A whimper fell from his lips. He would have been embarrassed had he not been so damn aroused. His jeans were _way_ too tight. However, the discomfort was bearable, especially with Phil’s mouth moving along his sensitive skin.

Then, the lights to the bakery came on.

“Shit!” exclaimed Dan. “Move!”

Phil detached from Dan right away, his face displaying clear panic. He and Dan hunkered down in the car, as if that would help. Luckily for them, Mrs. Howell grabbed something from the back and then went back upstairs, turning off the lights as she left.

“Okay, that was my heart attack for the year,” said Dan. He let out a loud breath and sucked in another one. “Jesus _Christ_!”

“You should go before we do something even dumber,” said Phil with a slight laugh. “Fuck everything oh my god.” He placed his hand over his heart. “Fuck.”

Dan giggled. “I’ll see you soon.” He opened his door and stepped out. After giving Phil a small wave, he hurried to the door. He unlocked the shop, walked inside, and then waved Phil off, letting Phil know he could drive off now.

Phil waved back and then drove away, his heart still slamming in his chest. As he was driving, he couldn’t help but shuffle in his seat a bit. His jeans were too tight and a little painful. He was glad they didn’t get caught. Not only would it have been awkward, but they would have been sitting there with their jeans giving quite the display. He sighed. At least they had opportunities to be alone, but for now, his plan was to go home and take a _very_ cold shower.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thanks for reading guys! I hope you liked it ^^ As always, you can follow me on other social media for more phan related content. See you guys next week! Bye~!
> 
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